On Wednesday, Governor JB Pritzker delivered his annual combined Budget Address and State of the State Address and proposed a billion dollars in tax increases to fund the growing price tag of the migrant and illegal immigrant crisis that he invited. I think it is wrong to raise taxes on Illinois families and businesses to pay for nearly free healthcare and other wraparound services for noncitizens, and will fight vehemently against them.
As grocery prices hit a 30-year high, the Governor’s tax increases would hit families yet again by cutting the standard deduction. His plan would also go after small and large job creators, leaving Illinoisans earning less, paying more for goods and services, or both.
Since taking office, Pritzker has increased spending on noncitizen programs from just a few million dollars per year to roughly a billion dollars, by offering services from free housing to free healthcare. Increasing taxes by a billion dollars to pay for a billion dollars in spending on noncitizens is a clear display of the Governor’s misplaced priorities.
Overall, the Governor’s budget would set a new record as the largest in state history. Pritzker called for an additional $2 billion in spending with a total price tag of nearly $53 billion. If he is able to pass his plan, he will have grown state spending by 30% in just six years in office.
Members of the Illinois Senate Republican Caucus have long advocated for eliminating the state’s sales tax on groceries. While Pritzker claimed to support the idea in the speech, he failed to include details in his budget document, so it’s hard to tell how serious he actually is about the concept.
I am committed to fighting these proposed tax hikes and providing real relief to the citizens of the state. If you agree these tax hikes must be stopped, I have created a petition that I hope you will sign. You can access the survey here.
